Survival light

ABSTRACT

Survival light consisting of a disk with wick installed on the top floating on the surface of a combustible fluid that can reach and be sucked up by the wick through vertical holes penetrating the disk and through horizontal channels leading the combustible fluid from the periphery of the disk to the central area where the wick is installed and where the combustible fluid is a layer on top of a non-combustible fluid such as water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to emergency and decorative lights using acombustible fuel.

Typical application fields are lighting and cooking in emergencysituations with limited selection of fuel and equipments and underextraordinary and unsafe operational condition.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The conventional emergency lights are candles and electrical lights withlimited life expectancy. A burned down candle or a discharged electricalbattery without recharging opportunity, is useless.

The objective of this invention is to avoid the above disadvantages andshortcomings by designing a survival light for emergency situations.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present inventionsurvival light consisting of a disk with wick installed on the topfloating on the surface of a combustible fluid that can reach and besucked up by the wick through vertical holes penetrating the disk andthrough horizontal channels leading the combustible fluid from theperiphery of the disk to the central area where the wick is installedand where the combustible fluid is a layer on top of a non-combustiblefluid such as water.

Other features of the invention will be described in connection with thedrawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a survival light viewed from above and in cross-section. inaccordance with the present invention.

A disk 1 floating on the top of a combustible fluid 4. The combustiblefluid may be new or used cooking oil, new or used engine oil or similar.However gasoline and other easily flammable fluids should not be used.Under the combustible fluid 4 is a non-combustible fluid 5 for examplewater. Typically, cooking oil and water does not mix but remainsseparated along a separation surface 6. The disk 1 in this sample is acircular disk. However other shapes, polygonal, oblong, and rectangularor other shapes are also covered by this invention. In the central areaof the disk 1 is a wick holder 2 that support the wick 3 that can bemade up of rolled up paper or other hydroscopic material that isavailable in an emergency situation. In this central area severalvertical holes 9 arranged through which the combustible fluid 4 couldraise from below occupy the central area 13 and wet the wick 3. Thenumber, size and shape of these holes 9 does not limit the validity ofthis invention. The combustible fluid 4 has also alternate paths toreach the wick 3. Channels 10 create the alternate paths in the uppersurface of the disk 1 leading the combustible fluid 4 from the disk's 1periphery to the central area 13 around the wick 3. These channels 10will be partially filled with the combustible fluid 4 up to the level 7that is essentially same as the combustible fluid 4 level in the centralarea 13.

The application example in FIG. 1 has three channels 10. The number andshape of channels 10 is not a limitation for this invention. FIG. 1shows also another interesting feature of this invention. The peripheraledge of the disk 1 is equipped with a vertical extension, a collar 11 ,extending downward into the combustible fluid 4. This collar's 11mission is that when the disk 1 is positioned on the surface 7 of thecombustible liquid 4 a certain amount of air 8 will get trapped underthe disk 1. Therefore, the disk is not completely flat but has elevatedareas 8 where the trapped air can accumulate. The trapped air willincrease the buoyancy and stability of the disk 1 preventing tipping andsubmersion.

In an emergency situation empty glass cup, preserve box can be used ascontainer 12. The present invention is not limited by the size, shapeand material of the container 12.

With regard operation of the above survival light upon filling thecontainer 12 with the incombustible fluid 5 and combustible fluid 4 thedisk 1 with the inserted wick 3 can be positioned on the surface 7. Thecombustible fluid will be automatically sucked in be the wick 3.Thereafter, the wick 3 can be lit using match, cigarette lighter orother device. The burning wick 3 will suck up the combustible fluid 4gradually reducing the level 7 to level 6. When all combustible fluid 4is used up the incombustible fluid 5, for example water will enter thewick 3 and the light will be subsequently extinguished eliminating firehazards.

In accordance with this invention the survival light can be used also asdecorative light in non-emergency situations. Therefore, the combustible4 and incombustible fluid 5 can be colored and/or added aromatic stuffsfor example citronella or similar aromas deterring bugs for examplemosquito.

1. Survival light consisting of a disk equipped with a wick to be lit onthe upper side of the disk and where the said disk is floating on thetop surface of a combustible fluid that can reach the wick through holesconnecting the lower and upper surface of the disk and where thecombustible fluid is a layer on the top of a non-combustible fluid andwhere both the combustible and the non-combustible fluid and the nameddisk is inside of a container that is open on the top accessible to theatmospheric air.
 2. Survival light in accordance with claim 1characterized by trenches in the upper side of the disk leading thecombustible fluid form the peripheral edges of the disk to the wick. 3.Survival light in accordance with any of the foregoing claimscharacterized by vertically downward extending collar ensuring that theair trapped under the disk cannot escape.
 4. Survival light inaccordance with any of the foregoing claims characterized by coloringadditive to the combustible fluid.
 5. Survival light in accordance withany of the foregoing claims characterized by coloring additive to thenon-combustible fluid.
 6. Survival light in accordance with any of theforegoing claims characterized by aromatic fluid is added to thecombustible fluid.